If you spend any amount of time away from a power pole I would put a couple of 12 volt outlets in the bedroom too. Plenty of devices like phones can recharge on 12 volts. It doesn't make much sense to take battery power, invert it to 110 volt, and then convert it back to a lower voltage that is usually DC anyhow. Even if you do go from power pole to power pole 12 volt outlets make sense.

I have been told that charging things like cell phones and other electronic devices from a 12 volt charger directly to the appliance is harder on the batteries than if you take it up to the 120 volt, and then plug a charger in like you would at home.

May or may not be totally true, but it works for me, and my electronic device batteries seem to be lasting and do not get as hot as they used to on the 12 volt chargers.

Putting 12 volt outlets alongside the bed is definitely a good idea for those times when you are in the back 40.

Logged

For some, patience is a virtue. Dealing with me, it is required.Thank God - He is always patient.

You never foresee all the things you should do. Ever run a few wires from dash to engine? How many times? Not enough yet?

Put the outlets in. Put extras in.

I have a 12V outlet in the bathroom. It's a cigarette lighter model with a little switch that also served as some kind of power booster for the omni TV antenna. I never fooled with it after the first time I switched it and nothing happened but a small red light came on.

If you have an inverter, I see no reason for 12V outlets anywhere. I have a household refrigerator though.

If you have one of the old totally 12v style RVs that's different.

I am nearly illiterate concerning electricity but I still remember that is is not efficient to invert DC to AC then convert it back to DC

Inverters never made a lot of sense to me because of the huge 20% power loss and the monster battery bank required. I love my little two batt house pack. I never hesitate to run my genset if power is needed because it doesn't get used enough as it is. I even run it for a short time when I need to microwave something.

I don't see any difference in charging from 12v with or without the alt running since most small chargers have a wide voltage operating range?

A good inverter has a lot less loss than 20%. The Victron mentioned has a 6% loss on the 24 volt model.

I have a 120 volt fridge so I would need to run my generator 24x7 if I didn't have an inverter. The amount I spent on batteries and the inverter would buy a lot of diesel, but I couldn't stand to listen to my generator 24x7 even thought it is reasonably quiet. Ken and Ruth with the Dina decided to go generator only and just run the generator 24x7 as they are at Walmarts all the time building beauty salons. I know Ruth has been here in the last 6 months to a year asking about inverters with the cost of diesel so high.